Shovel and process of making the same



Jan. 18 1927. 1,614,956

M. HOKANSON SHOVEL AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec. 8, 1924fNjYEN TOR N/mT/N Ha/r/r/vco/v '1 flTTOfi/VEYS Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN HOKANSON, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO MARSHALL-WELLS COM-PANY, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SI-IOVEL AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed December 8, 1924. Serial No. 754,636.

In the manufacture of shovels, spades and scoops difficulty has beenexperienced in providing sufficient strength at the point where thehandle socket joins the blade to withstand the strains to which thisportion of the tool is frequently subjected, as in tie tamping or otherwork where the tool blade is inserted into the ground or under an objectto be lifted and the handle of the tool used as a lever. At such time,the load on the walls of the socket at the point where they join theblade is so heavy that the tool frequently breaks at this point and hasto be discarded.

It is not practicable in tools of this kind to provide extraneousbracing or stiffening means secured by welding or similar means and thepromary object, therefore, of my invention is to strengthen the walls ofthe handle socket at its junction with the blade and at the same timenot add materially to the cost of the tool or labor of making it. It isimportant, too, in a tool of this kind that the socket and blade have afinished appearance, the wall of the socket merging into that of theblade without unsightly projections which would tend to mar theappearance of the finished -tool.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

The invention consists generally in various constructions andcombinations all as hereinafter described and particularly point.- edout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a view of a blank of sheet metal from which the blade andthe handle socket are formed for a type of shovel generally known ashollowback;

Figure 9. is a detail view-illustrating the manner of folding a portionof metal at the junction of the blade and socket to provide an increasedthickness of metal at the point where it is subjected to the maximumstrain;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the shovel blade and socket when the foldingoperation has been completed;

Figure t is an edge view partially in section showing the foldedreinforcing section;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a modification in the manner ofproviding a greater thickness of metal at this junction of the blade andsocket.

In the drawing, 2 represents a section of sheet metal in which the bladeis formed, having at one end an integral extension 3 which, when folded,forms the tubular socket to receive the handle of the hollowback shovel.In stamping or pressing out this blank for the shovel blade and socket,I provlde a web of metal 4 at the junction of the blade 2 with theextension 3, and on this web upon each side of the extension, I form anear 5 having a rounded or convex edge, as indicated in Figure 1, theblade and the extension and the integral webs and ears being all formedof a suitable gage of sheet metal.

In the next step of the process, the ears 5 are preferably bent orfolded along the dotted line 6 in Figure 1, to the full line position inFigure 2, against the surfaces of the webs 4-, thereby forming a doublethickness of metal between the blade 2 and the extension, the ears lyingflat against the surfaces of the webs. I may, however, roll the ears toform beads on each of the webs if preferred, but this is a detail ofconstruction and either method of bending or folding the ears may beadopted by the manufacturer.

In the next step, the shovel blade is shaped to the desired form bysuitable dies and at the same time the extension 3 is folded by bendingthe longitudinal edges to form a preliminary or initial fold for thehandle socket. In making this fold of the extension and shaping theadjacent end of the blade, the metal at the junction of the blade andextension is subjected to a considerable drawing action and when themetal is all of the same thickness, it is drawn normally to such anextent at this point that it becomes weaker and less able to withstandthe pressure,'to which a shovel handle is often subjected, instead ofbeing stronger at this point as it should. be. By providing the earsupon each side of the socket extension and folding them against the websin the angle between the blade and socket extension, as shown at 7 inFigures 3, 4t and 5, I provide a double thickness of metal and when itis drawn at this point by the action of the dies, the folded portionwill still be heavier and stronger after the folding or forming actionof the die. The result is, the tool when completed, will have more metalat the junction of the blade and extension and will be stiffer andstronger at this point than when made in the usual way. I am thus ableto provide a stronger and more durable tool without adding materially toits cost of manufacture or detracting in any way from the appearance ofthe finished article. If the tool is used for tie tamping or as a leverfor lifting purposes, as it frequently is, the increased body of metalat the junction of the handle socket with the blade will be amplysufficient to withstand any unusual or unexpected strain to which thisportion of the shovel may be subjected.

In Figure 6, I have shown a modification in the structure of the bladeand socket which consists in taking a blank of sheet metal of suitablegage, rolling one end to a suitable taper to form the blade 8, rollingthe other end 9 to the desired taper to form the blank from which thetube or socket is folded, leaving an area of the metal at 10intermediate the parts 8 and 9 so that when the blank is subjected tothe action of a die, the part 8 will be at the junction of the bladewith the socket, and the metal will be thicker and heavier at this pointand thereby apable of withstanding any unusual load or strain that maybe placed upon this portion of the tool. When the blade is formed inthis way a thicker section of the metal will be provided extendingentirely across the point of juncture of the blade with the ex tensionfrom which the socket is formed and this thicker portion of the metalwill, of course, add quite materially to the strength of the shovel,scoop or spade at the point where it is usually subjected to thegreatest strain.

It will be understood in applying this invention to a shovel, spade orscoop of the hollowback type that the extension from which the socket isformed may be folded downwardly or upwardly as preferred. Generally,however, the fold is made downwardly so that the point where the edgesof the extension are brought together will be on the under or back sideof the handle and blade.

I claim as my invention:

1. A shovel, scoop or spade blank com prising a blade having an integralextension at one end and having integral tab extensions at the junctionpoints of said blade and extension, whereby when the extension is foldedand drawn a greater body of metal will be provided in the angle betweenthe blade and extension, by folding the tab extensions.

2. A shovel, scoop or spade blank comprising a blade, having an integralextension at one end adapted to be folded to form a handle socket andhaving webs at the junction of said blade and extension, and ears formedon said webs and adapted to be folded thereover to increase thethickness of the metal at this point.

A method of forming a shovel, scoop or spade which consists in pressingthe blade from a plate of sheet metal having a centrally arrangedlongitudinal extension at one end and forming webs on each side of saidexension at its junction with said blade, and ears having edges formingoutward con tinuations of said webs, folding or bending said ears uponsaid webs to form a double thickness of the metal and then folding saidextension and drawing the double thickness metal to form the walls ofthe handle socket with a thicker portion between said walls and the endof said blade.

ing a blade, having an integral extension at one end adapted to befolded to form a handle socket, and means bridging the angle betweensaid blade and extension upon each side of said extension, said meansbeing rela tively thicker than said blade and extension to provide moremetal at the point where the tool is subjected to the maximum strain.

5. A shovel blank including substantially rectangular blade and socketforming sec-'- tions, the socket section being of less width than andsymmetrically related to and projecting from one side of the bladesection, said blank having tabs at the junction points of the sides ofthe socket section with the sides of the blade section.

(5. A shovel. scoop or spade blank, comprising a blade l'iaving anintegral extension at one end, with the metal adjacent the junction ofblade and extension transversely thickened, and tapered longitudinallyin opposite directions.

In witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this 30th day ofNovember 1924.

MARTIN HOKANSON.

l. A shovel, scoop or spade blank comprislltl loo

